Parents describe us as one of the best boarding schools in the world, with a 100% satisfaction rate. La Garenne is an international boarding school with places for up to 200 students aged from 4 to 18. We retain our close-knit atmosphere and celebrate the cultural diversity of our students.
As a family-run private school with a long history, we are rightly proud of our students’ high academic achievements. Students are stimulated to unleash their talents, explore their passions and excel in what is important to them.
We are located in the alpine village of Villars, a safe and sunny winter ski and summer resort right in the heart of Europe, just 90 minutes from Geneva. While La Garenne is primarily a boarding school, we also offer limited places to local day students, which helps maintain important links to our local community.
Please read on to discover more about our beautiful campus and unique school community.
Grégory Méan General Director
Three generations of the Méan family
A FAMILY AWAY FROM HOME
Since 1947, our focus has been to create a home away from home, or rather ‘A Family Away From Home’ for young people from all over the world.
As one of the only schools in Switzerland to offer Primary School boarding places, our youngest students are just four years of age. Many of them stay with us for the whole of their school careers.
Our Integration Programme of a few weeks is an excellent way for families to test our boarding school, before committing to a long-term place.
La Garenne’s renowned and exciting Summer and Winter Camps - filled with lake and snowy mountain activities - are also proven ways to start a great boarding school experience.
The personal attention that we give to each student is one of the many reasons that families opt for La Garenne, because your child will not just be a student at La Garenne, but they will be part of our family.
‘‘
It is exceeding all my expectations. It is better than anything we could have imagined. An extraordinary experience for my daughter.
Julia’s mother
’’
LA GARENNE BOARDING
Living in an international community enables each student to learn at first hand about different cultures, food and customs, and hear different perspectives on current issues and events. Together, our students seek solutions while taking different views into consideration, based on respect and tolerance. The aim is for each La Garenne student to look outwards not inwards, to become global citizens, and curious and caring young adults.
Our House Parents are highly-qualified, internationally experienced pastoral caregivers. They are there to be a listening ear, deploying school rules to support each student as they navigate their childhood into adolescence and beyond.
Students participate in a huge range of extracurricular activities, from music, visual arts and performing arts, to sports including soccer, tennis, water activities and naturally, skiing and snowboarding in winter and mountaincraft in summer.
Our school’s compact size means we are highly flexible when it comes to supporting gifted students, whether their passions lie in ice hockey, golf, music or the arts.
There can be nothing better for a young person than living an active outdoor life in the Swiss mountains, breathing clean air, and enjoying the magnificent views while studying hard and getting ready for university.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our priority is to give our youngest students the best possible start in their learning journey. We want them to feel happy, secure, and listened to, instilling in them a desire to be curious, imaginative and kind.
In Reception, your child will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. This sets the standards for the learning, development, and care of your child. From Years 1 to 6 (ages 5 to 10), La Garenne International Primary School offers a personalised, creative curriculum that blends traditional elements with innovative teaching, designed to meet each child’s individual needs.
We follow the English National Curriculum alongside the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), ensuring academic rigour with a strong focus on social and emotional development.
SECONDARY SCHOOL
The first five years of secondary school focus on the IB’s Middle Years Programme, with the option of IGCSEs in multiple academic subjects at age 15-16. These exams and assessments lead naturally to the IB Diploma Programme.
MYP is an academic curriculum which aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who will help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The programme is challenging, but caters for all abilities. A student’s final grades are based on what they actually know and are able to do. Middle School prepares students perfectly for the rigours of the IB diploma to come.
The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) challenges students to become independent thinkers and learners, preparing them for higher education at universities and colleges. Through the unique core components of Creativity, Activity and Service, the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge, students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones and take on challenges which other higher level school programmes cannot match.
The High School Diploma (HSD) enables students who have significant commitments to extracurricular activities or whose future study plans do not require the full IB Diploma to achieve greater success in their chosen career, such as in business or hospitality. The HSD also opens doors to U.S. universities.
SENIOR SCHOOL BOARDING HOUSE
CHALET LE ROC
Le Roc is located right next to the main Villars ski lift. The building was designed with input from students and staff, and encompasses student accommodation, classrooms, a gym, student lounges and a large open-plan refectory and reception area. Le Roc opened in January 2021 and welcomes up to 80 boarders each year.
Accommodation is in two-bed suites, each with its own bathroom, study space and incredible views over the Alps. Teenagers are encouraged to organise activities themselves, with a focus on building solid peer relationships alongside relaxation and socialising. Wellbeing and holistic therapies feature strongly, as stress needs to be acknowledged and remedied, so our students can be at their best and deliver top quality results.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOARDING HOUSE
CHALET BEAU SITE
To mark the important transition from Primary School, students aged 11 - 13 move into their own boarding house which has been designed especially to meet their needs. It is vitally important that they are given the space, time and support from their House Parents to manage this exciting period of emotional and physical change. Chalet Beau Site encourages more independence and responsibility, coupled with additional privileges.
The student rooms are four-bed suites, each with its own bathroom and shower, study space and wonderful alpine views.
‘‘When I asked my son to come back and live wih us again in Spain, he said no. At La Garenne he found his Swiss home. It was his destiny.’’
Rodrigo’s mother
PRIMARY BOARDING HOUSE
CHALET LA GARENNE
We are known worldwide for our pioneering and enduring approach to caring for and educating children from as young as four years old.
The children live in our original and authentic Swiss ‘Chalet La Garenne’, which has been modernised and enhanced to make a comfortable, cosy, and safe environment for our 4 to 10 year olds.
Naturally, due to the children’s age, our emphasis is on creating a real sense of belonging. All activities and support are grounded in our philosophy of putting the child first.
Joining La Garenne as a small child is the easiest way to assimilate into boarding school life. Young students embrace their new experiences with joy and positivity. They learn languages faster, retain them better and most often, speak them well.
‘‘It is a dream come true for my daughter. She loves to be here in her Swiss family.’’
Donia’s father
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Extracurricular activities are a focal point of school life and the reason so many of our students come to us ahead of any other school. Not only do we offer a wide range of standard sports and activities, we are flexible enough to be able to introduce brand new options if students request them.
Alongside a wide range of standard sports and activities, we listen to students who suggest new ones they wish to try, such as Padel, now one of our most popular sports. We have a thriving Golf Academy and our own golf simulator, a Ski Academy for racers, a Karting Academy for those who love speed, and a Juventus Football Academy for those who are passionate about football.
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES AND TRIPS
As an international Boarding School, our services are organised around the clock, 7 days a week. Weekends are the perfect opportunity for students to explore not just the Alps, but also the rest of Switzerland and Europe, with trips to amazing destinations such as Copenhagen, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
Longer, compulsory trips with a high educational and humanitarian value complement the curriculum and broaden students’ horizons beyond the classroom. Destinations include Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Thailand and the U.S.
Our unique location right next to the ski lift enables our students to make the most of the local slopes throughout the winter. Ski and snowboard lessons are provided for all levels by professional ski and snowboard instructors.
B r i t i s h C u r r i c u l u m F r e n c h C u r r i c u l u m S w i s s C u r r i c u l u m ( H a r m o S ) R u s s i a n C u r r i c u l u m S p a n i s h C u r r i c u l u m
C l a s s 1 2 °
C l a s s 2 3
C l a s s 3 4 °
EDUCATION SYSTEMS COMPARISON CHART
E d u c a t i o n a l S y s t e m s C o m p a r i s o n C h a r t
1 s t S e p t e m b e r A c a d e m i c S t r u c t u r e L A G A R E N N E S C H O O L U S AC h i n a G e r m a n y J a p a n
A g e
R e c e p t i o n K i n d e r g a r t e n P r eS c h o o l G a r d e r i e -
Y e a r 1 K i n d e r g a r t e n Y e a r 1 M a t e r n e l l e 3 2
e a r 3 G r a d e 2 Y e a r 3 C E 1 4
Y e a r 4 G r a d e 3 Y e a r 4 C E 2
Y e a r 5 G r a d e 4 Y e a r 5 C M 1 6
1 0 Y e a r 6 G r a d e 5 Y e a r 6 C M 2 7 C l a s s 4 5 °
C l a s s 7 2 ° E S O
1 1
1 2 M Y P 2 G r a d e 7 Y e a r 8 5 è m e 9 C l a s s 6 1 ° E S O
1 3 M Y P 3 G r a d e 8 Y e a r 9 4 è m e 1 0
1 4 M Y P 4 G r a d e 9 Y e a r 1 0 3 è m e 1 1 C l a s s 8 3 ° E S O
S E C O N D A R Y S C H O O L M Y P 1 G r a d e 6 Y e a r 7 6 è m e 8 C l a s s 5 6 °
1 5 M Y P 5 G r a d e 1 0 Y e a r 1 1 S e c o n d e 1 2 C l a s s 9 4 ° E S O
C l a s s 1 0 1 ° B a c h i l l e r a t o
C l a s s 1 1 2 ° B a c h i l l e r a t o
D P 1
H i g h S c h o o l G r a d e 1 1 Y e a r 1 2 P r e m i è r e 1 3
D P 2 H i g h S c h o o l G r a d e 1 2 Y e a r 1 3 T e r m i n a l e 1 4
1 6
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OUR PATHWAY TO UNIVERSITY
When a new student arrives at our school, different interviews and tests are held to get a clear picture of the student’s academic ability and language skills. We then create a plan and design a pathway for the student and parents for the first year, but more importantly, for all the years leading up to graduation.
Each child is unique and therefore needs a personalised plan, which optimises their chances to be as successful as they can be. This is their Individual Pathway to Success.
UNIVERSITY PREPARATION
We provide guidance to all our students throughout the university application process. We also arrange practice interviews in order to give students valuable insights into what to expect when they visit their chosen universities or colleges.
UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE
Our students are consistently successful in securing places at top universities and colleges across the world. We are proud of their results. We help and guide them every step of the way, and ensure that the process runs smoothly and all the requirements Ware upheld.
